Professional Development for the Next Generation
Uniting teaching theory and practice through innovative technology
Professional Development for the Next Generation
Uniting teaching theory and practice through innovative technology
Professional Development for the Next Generation
Uniting teaching theory and practice through innovative technology
Trusted by 100,000 Educators in 50+ Countries Worldwide
Previous
Next
“It’s been the greatest professional development tool I’ve come across during the 11 years of my career.”
– Anna Ellis, English Teacher, Whitcliffe Mount School
Discover the power of video for effective professional development
Record your lesson on video and review it via your secure, private account on our cloud-based platform. Allowing you to:
- Continuously improve through effective self-reflection
- Receive valuable, contextualised feedback from a colleague or coach at the click of a button
- Share resources and build libraries of real teaching practice in a secure place online
Bridge the gap between theory and practice with UnityPD
Reach your development goals by accessing the latest evidence-based teaching theory & models, gaining deep insights into your own classroom practice, and bridging the gap between the two by following a personalised coaching, collaborative or self-reflective pathway.
All in one platform.
Together: Make Visible Progress
Successful change requires an incremental strategy that develops trust, reflective skills and supports collaboration. We’ve worked with thousands of schools to perfect this strategy.
Together, we’ll build and deliver a plan based on your goals, proactively supporting you through our consultancy and learning programmes. Together, we’ll secure visible progress for every teacher and every learner.
For every teacher
at every career stage
Supporting the ‘Golden Thread of Teacher Development’
Trainee Teachers
…receive better coaching and mentoring, more often
Our video-enabled online platform overcomes the challenges of time & distance, allowing teacher trainers to provide more frequent, more quality feedback to their trainees without needing to be in the same room. Trainees can then articulate their own reflections and models when responding to these asynchronous comments. The recording and reflection capabilities within IRIS Connect also enables trainees to rehearse their lesson in a low stakes environment; letting them develop their practice and build up confidence before entering the actual classroom.
Coaches &
Mentors
…effectively coach multiple people without needing to physically be there
Coaches and mentors can give their teachers evidence-based and contextualised feedback from wherever they are and at a time that suits them. A previously uploaded lesson recording can be annotated through time-stamped comments and discussed face to face or via secure video conferencing directly on the IRIS Connect platform. It allows for an easy identification of the best next steps in a mentees’ development plan as well as sharing of exemplar videos and other valuable resources to support their progress.
Experienced Teachers
…further improve learning outcomes for their students
According to Professor John Hattie, teachers only see and hear 20% of what’s happening during any given lesson. This means that even the most experienced teachers miss out on valuable observations that would help them adapt their classroom practice to their students’ needs. Through IRIS Connect, teachers can not only fine-tune their teaching strategies but also identify barriers to learning and re-engage with students so they can ensure no one falls off their radar.
Early Career Teachers
…gain the skills needed to sustain their growth throughout their teaching career
Through targeted reflection, IRIS Connect enables ECTs to ‘feedback to self’ as their expertise emerges. Furthermore, targets can become much more specific and defined, as the mentee can request feedback and direct the attention of their mentor/coach to granular aspects of their teaching, helping them identify the action steps. Working alongside the Education Development Trust, IRIS Connect supports ECTs and their mentors as they work their way through the 8 standards of the Early Career Framework.
Aspiring Leaders
…take on more responsibilities and support your school improvement plan
The regular use of collaborative video reflections encourages aspiring leaders to take charge of their own professional development, increasing their job satisfaction and making them more confident and motivated to make a real impact at their school. Besides supporting them on their NPQ journeys, we often see ambitious teachers taking on more responsibilities as a result of the use of IRIS Connect, leading on professional development initiatives and stepping into leadership roles shortly after.
School Leaders
…create an environment where teachers and students thrive
Teachers’ perceived influence over their professional development goal setting is the area most associated with higher job satisfaction and a greater intention to stay in teaching. (NFER, 2020) Through IRIS Connect, school leaders provide all of their staff with effective development opportunities, giving them the autonomy to develop their practice based on their individual needs, experiences and skill-set. This not only leads to a higher teaching quality and ultimately improved student outcomes, but it also increases job satisfaction and a positive culture for school improvement.
Executive Leaders
…unleash the collective capacity of staff across their organisations
Imagine if all the teachers within your trust could record, edit and share examples of effective teaching practice at the click of a button. Connect subject experts to share over distance, enhance joint practice development across schools and optimise your SLE’s time by enabling remote coaching and observation - all without the cost of travel or lesson cover.
Enabling Continuing Professional Development: Case Studies
Academy Puts Teachers in the Driver’s Seat of their PD
- Sir Thomas Wharton Academy
Whole School Improvement
- Ainslie Wood Primary School, London (UK)
Enriched Professional Learning Culture
- Horizon College, The Netherlands
Enhanced Initial Teacher Training: Case Studies
Remote Coaching Trainee Teachers
- The University of Tartu, Estonia
Quality Assuring Teacher Training
- The Hampshire SCITT Partnership, UK
A Blended Approach to ITE
- VIA University College, Denmark